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Dr. Alexander Wilder. The essayist made some critical remarks on the medical profession, its diverse theories, the vast fields for research and improvement in the branches of science which lie at its foundation, Surgery, Physiology, Obstetrics, Chemistry-especially the department of organic chemistry;-the superiority of organic over inorganic substances as medicines, drawing analogies from the working of nature and what the medical profession and especially the Eclectic medical profession are expected to do in achieving for medical science a glorious future.

This being the evening for the annual election of officers, Drs. Freeman, Wilder and Cooper, were appointed a committee to make the nominations.

The committee reported the names of the following gentlemen as officers for the ensuing year.

President, PAUL W. ALLEN, M. D. Vice-President, J. M. F. BROWN, M. D. Secretary, JOHN H. FITCH, M. D. Treasurer, P. ALBERT MORROW, M. D.

All of whom were elected by ballot.

The Society adopted the 8th article of the constitution. The motion to change the time of meeting was withdrawn. A motion was made to amend the second article of the constitution by adding after the enumeration of the officers of the Society, "A board of Censors consisting of three." Laid over till next meeting.

It was moved that the Society take up on the next regular meeting, the discussion of Acute and Chronic Bronchitis. Carried. Dr. H. C. Cooper and Dr. W. R. Hayden were appointed essayists for the next meeting.

On motion it was resolved, That the president appoint delegates to the New York State Eclectic Medical Society, to meet at Albany, January, 1869. Agreed to.

The Society adjourned.

J. H. FITCH, M. D., Secretary.

SURGERY BY LIGHTNING.-The London Times says: A boy of twelve, belonging to Korsk (Western Russia), who used to walk with a crutch, on account of anchylosis of the right knee, was on horseback in the fields when he was overtaken by a violent storm. After a severe clap of thunder the horse ran away, and the boy, completely stunned, fell to the ground. When his senses returned, and he tried to rise, he found that his right leg was gone. His uncle, who had ridden by his side, and his own horse, had disappeared. The poor boy, at first somewhat collapsed, fell asleep. His companion, however, at last returned, after having secured the horse, and on examining his nephew, he observed that the right leg was entirely wanting. The patient's shirt and clothes were in shreds, and burned along the seams, and on the body were many scars. The boy was conveyed to the village in a cart, suffering severely in the stump, and much

alarmed at the hemorrhage, which, however, soon stopped. A few days afterwards Dr. Ragowitch found a regular wound as usually made by the amputating knife, surrounded with granulations and presenting in the centre a few gangrenous spots. The division had been effected by lightning, through the super extremity of the tibia, the patella and femur being intact. The healing of the wound was very rapid, and by the use of ordinary means. The severed leg was found on the grass several days after the accident, just where the boy had been thrown from his horse. It was quite dried up, and emitted no smell, the tibia being quite black, and stripped half way down the leg. These facts are mentioned in the Berl Klin Woch., No. 21, 1868, and guaranteed by Dr. Syncyanko."

LIABILITY OF MEDICAL MEN TO BE ASSESSED FOR DAMAGES.-A somewhat singular verdict, it seems, was rendered at the County Assizes on Monday last in the case of Jackson versus Hyde. The defendant is a medical man residing in Stratford. He is a graduate of a Scotch university, and has been in practice for nearly thirty years. The plaintiff is a woman who, some six years ago, had one of her hands and the muscles of the arm so severely torn and lacerated by a threshing machine, that the defendant, whose advice and services were sought and enlisted, deemed it necessary to amputate the arm above the elbow. The question was now raised, six years after the event, whether the condition of the hand and muscles required that the arm should have been amputated above or below the elbow. The jury took what may be considered the sympathetic view of the case, and brought in a verdict against Dr. Hyde and damages to the extent of $250.-Toronto Leader, 28th.

THE female physicians in England are restricted to the practice of midwifery and to the uncontagious diseases of women and children. It is a gratifying fact that so far no deaths from the first cause have resulted, and it speaks volumes.

AMPUTATION OF THE UVULA.-With a view to prevent, in great measure, the painful sensation arising from the passage of a bolus of food across the raw stump of a previously elongated uvula, Mr. Maunder proposes to amputate this organ by the double flap method. These fall together, and their cut surfaces being in contact, no raw surface is exposed to irritation. He recently adopted this plan with a highly satisfactory result, introducing a small suture to maintain coaptation of the flaps.-Lancet.

INSECT VENTILATION.-An English gentleman lately took a small wasps' nest, about the size of an apple, and, after stupefying its inmates, placed it in a large case inside of his house, leaving an opening for egress through the wall. Here the nest was enlarged to a foot in diameter, holding thousands of wasps. Here he was able to watch their movements, and noted one new fact-namely, their sytematic attention to ventilation. In hot weather from four to six

wasps were continually stationed at the hole of egress; and, while leaving space for entrance or exit, created a steady current of fresh air by the exceedingly rapid motion of their wings. After a long course of this vigorous exercise, the ventilators were relieved by other wasps. During cooler weather only two wasps at a time were usually thus engaged.

ERGOT IN THE TREATMENT OF PURPURA.-Dr. Bauer of Neutershausen (Deutsche Klinik) reports great success in the treatment of purpura hæmorrhagica with secale cornutum. He gives eight to ten grains three times or oftener, daily, until hæmorrhagic manifestations cease. When anæmia remains he treats it with chalybeates.

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PYROXYLIC SPIRIT.-Five to ten drops, are recommended as one of the best remedies for the sickness of Uterine diseases or of Pregnancy."

NEW MODE OF CAUSING DEATH.-A ghastly scientific discovery is reported from Turin, where Professor Castarini, the celebrated oculist, has found a way of killing animals by forcing air into their eyes a few seconds, and almost without causing them pain. Experiments were recently made at the Royal Veterinary School, and it is said that they have fully proved the truth of the Professor's invention. Within the space of a few minutes four rabbits, three dogs and a goat were killed in this manner. The most remarkable is that the operation leaves absolutely no outward trace.-Exchange.

THE PROTOXYDE OF AZOTE IS BEING EMPLOYED AS AN ANESTHETIC by Dr. Seymour in the extraction of teeth, producing complete insensibility in two minutes. It is said to be perfectly innocuous, and to be respired without difficulty or repulsion.-La France Medicale.

IN INDURATED HÆMORRHOIDS, M. Hillairet employs suppositories containing one-tenth part of iodoform. In a few days the hæmorrhoids soften and wither.

A NEW MODE OF DRESSING WOUNDS.—In Belgium, a new mode of dressing wounds has been adopted. A sheet of lead one-fiftieth of an inch in thickness is applied to the seat of injury, and made to assume its shape by pressure. By means of strips of adhesive plaster the lead is secured, and a current of fresh water is passed over the surface of the flesh once or twice a day.

NOVEL PRESCRIPTION FOR GUNSHOT WOUNDS.-About the years 1665 and 1666, Richard Wiseman, who had served in the armies of James I. and Charles II. as surgeon, advocated the following formula for gunshot injuries.: "Boil in two pounds of oil of lilies two newwhelped puppies till the flesh fall from their bones; add some earthworms in wine. Then strain, and to the strained liquor add ij of turpentine, and an ounce of spirit of wine."-Med. Record.

ARMY SURGEONS' FEES IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD III -Soon after the battle of Crecy, in 1347, surgeons were engaged to attend upon the troops. The engagement was limited to the duration of hostilities, or for a particular day's service. Four-pence per day was allowed, as the rate of pay, with the privilege of shaving the men and receiving monthly from every soldier two-pence, in the shape of what was called "regards."

John Arderne was the only medical officer present at the siege of Calais or at Crecy, in 1346 and 1347.—Ibid.

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN EDINBURGH SURGEON IN 1505.-In 1505, the Surgeons of Edinburgh were in no way behind the other schools in the three kingdoms, and we are somewhat surprised to read that "when the Surgeons of Edinburgh were in 1505 incorporated under the denomination of surgeons and barbers, it was required of them to be able to read and write, to know anatomie, nature, and complexion of every parte of the human bodie, and lykeways to know all vayns of the samyn that he make flewbothomie in due time, together with a perfect knowledge of shaving beards."

TRISMUS NASCENTIUM.-The treatment of this affection by the local application of chloroform to the spine, which was first suggested by Dr. Whitehill of St. Louis, is rapidly gaining favor with the profession. In a case reported in the November No. of The Humboldt Medical Archives the following method was pursued. A small strip of cotton cloth was moistened with chloroform and applied to the entire length of the spine, with the effect of promptly and completely arresting the spasms, and by renewing the application whenever there were indications of a return of the paroxysm they were completely controlled and their recurrence prevented. Invariably upon the subsidence of the burning pain immediately incident to the application of the chloroform, the child would fall into a peaceful, quiet sleep.

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SODA versus POTASH.-Dr. P. H. Van der Weyde says that he has found the nitrate of soda in all cases, as a medicine, superior to nitrate of potash, and that he had discarded the potash from medicinal Iodide of sodium is better than iodide of potassium, and bicarbonate of soda is preferable to the bicarbonate of potash in domestic economy. His theory is that potash is foreign to the animal body, and produces eruptions on the skin, while soda is demanded for the healthful performance of physiological actions that belong to life.

CURE FOR THE STING OF THE BEE OR WASP.-The peculiar poison produced by these insects has been found to consist in part, if not altogether, of urous acid, which may be effectually and almost immediately neutralized by the application over the part stung, of powdered prepared chalk, or carbonate of lime, made into a thick paste with water. The resulting compound is, of course, urite of lime, which is perfectly innocuous.-Jour. of Applied Chemistry.

RELATIVE MORTALITY FROM SMALL-POX.-Thirty years before vaccination was introduced into England, the mortality from smallpox was 3,000 to the million of population; now it is only 171 to the million. The mortality in the small-pox hospital is ascertained to be, in non-vaccinated cases, 37 per cent.; while that of the vacci nated was only 6 per cent. It seems that in the great majority of instances, to have been vaccinated renders one proof against the contagion, as though one had passed through the original disease itself.

TURPENTINE AS AN ANTIDOTE TO PHOSPHORUS.-The Archives Gén. de Médecine calls attention to the custom of the workmen in a match factory at Stafford, who apply phosphorus to the matches, of carrying on their breast a tin cup, containing essence of turpentine. This precaution is said to be sufficient to prevent any ill effects from the action of the phosphorus. It was previously known that the vapor of turpentine prevents the ignition, and even the phosphores cence of phosphorus, but the practical application of this knowledge is not so generally adopted as it should be.- Med. and Surg. Repor

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CURE FOR ITCH.-Dr. Le Cœur recommends the cure of itch by the pleasant application of aromatic vinegar. He has for years employed this simple economic remedy, with constant success. vinegar should be rubbed in with a roughish sponge. Four or five frictions generally effect a cure. A warm bath will remove any erythema which may arise. The Prussian military authorities cure the itch by smearing the parts with a mixture of two parts of liquid storax with one part of sweet oil. The cure is said to be complete in twenty-four hours. Either of the above, if successful, is far more pleasant than the usual sulphur treatment now in common use.-Chem. Gazette.-Humboldt Med. Archives.

FECUNDATING CAPACITY OF THE OVARIES.-M. Sappey's microscopical examinations have shown that in one healthy ovary, the number of ovisacs and ovules is more than 300,000, making about 700,000 for the individual. He therefore calculates, that if all the ova existing in the surface of the ovaries of a young woman eighteen or twenty years of age were to be fecundated and undergo all their phases of development, it would require but one woman to populate four such cities as Lyons, Marseilles, Bordeaux, and Rouen; and but two to furnish inhabitants for a capital like Paris, containing 1,600,000 souls.-CAZEAUX.

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